Guard for third-rail systems.



No. 703,563. Patent ed luly l, I902.

s. ELLIOTT. aumm FOB THIRD BA'IL SYSTEMS.

(Applicafion filed. Apr. 8, 1902.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STERLING ELLIOTT, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

GUARD FOR THIRD-RAIL SYSTEMS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 703,563, dated July 1,1902. Application filed April 3,1902. Serial No.101,214. (No model.)

ing of sparks and inthe form shown herein' designed also to preventaccidental contact of persons with the said rail.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown a convenient, simple, andeffective embodiment of my invention best known to me, these drawingsshowing in Figure 1 a portion of the guard in side elevation and in Fig;2 a

cross-section, all as hereinafter explained.

In the drawings, A represents the third or electric conducting-rail,which may be of the form shown in sectional Fig. 2. This rail has theusual support on an elevated track,

which support and track need no illustration,

being well known.

The object of my invention being to pre vent the falling of sparks fromthe third rail upon persons or things below the track, -I

have considered it essential to that object .to

provide an inclosure which should'confine such sparks within narrowlateral limits and which should cover the least possible floorspace onthe track, and thus least obstructthe.

light. Further, it seemed desirable by the same structure to preventaccidental contact of persons with the rail and to accomplish theseobjects by simple and inexpensive means. I secure all these ends bymeans of two guards of wood in the form of boards or planks, as shown atB. These being of nonconducting material may be made to rest directlyupon the flange of the rail A, near or at the outer edge of the flange,so that the rail-flanges form the bottom of the spark-receiving spacebetween the. guard; but if guards be used of conducting material or ofmaterial of essentially greater conducting quality non-conducting stripsmay be interposed between' them and the rail flanges. The positiondescribed brings the upper parts of the guard near to the sides of thehead of of sleeves of woodfor any suitable material placed on the boltsand bearing against the web at one end and the side of the guard at theother, so that when the nuts are turned up the guards are fixed inplace. As the guards are placed within the rail-base, no more of thelimited space of the elevated road is occupied. The guards are extendedabove the upper surface of the conducting-rail far enough to obstructthe sparks and at the same time to prevent accidental contact ofpersons, as aforesaid. The proportions as shown in Fig. 2 aforesaid arecorrect, but maybe varied without departure from the spirit of myinvention. Sufficient elevation 'of'tlie guards to arrest the sparks andsufficient space between rail-headand guard to permit them to fall intothe larger spaces below the rail-head inclosed by the guard or the'fianges must be provided. Small openings maybe made, if necessary, topermit the es- .cape of water.

I claim- 1.. In combination with the third or electrically-charged railof an elevated railway, guards resting on the rail-flanges, andextending above the said rail and means for holding said guards inplace, substantially as described.

2. In combination with the third or electrically-charged rail of anelevated railway, guards resting on the flanges of-said-rail andextending above the said rail, bolts,.and distance-pieces securing saidguards-in place, all substantially as described. 7

In testimony whereof Iaffix :my signature in presence of two witnesses.

STERLING ELLIOTT.

Witnesses:

H. O. NIcKERsoN, P. W. I-IUTcHIsoN.

